Image Credit: YWCA Canada, Alia Youssef
Nova Scotia expands paid domestic violence leave to support workers in crisis
On April 1, 2025, Nova Scotia expanded its paid domestic violence leave, increasing the number of paid days from three to five. The change, which is part of a broader entitlement of up to 16 consecutive weeks of domestic violence leave, plus 10 additional days that can be taken either consecutively or intermittently, aims to better support workers facing intimate partner or gender-based violence.
The Honourable Leah Martin, Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women, says the update reflects the Province’s commitment to keeping Nova Scotians safe during precarious times.
“People really shouldn’t have to choose between a paycheque and getting the time and support they need during a really difficult period,” says Minister Martin. “Paid domestic violence leave supports victims and survivors—often during critical times. Policy change like this is one of the ways and a great example of how government is showing up and making changes to policies—with partners, with the sector, with employers—to better address gender-based violence in Nova Scotia. There’s more we want to do, but we see this as a meaningful step in the process.”
Miia Suokonautio, CEO of YWCA Halifax, emphasizes how the leave will benefit workers who are employed and may lack the resources or workplace protections to navigate violence safely. “We have a logical bias to assume our experience is everyone’s experience,” says Suokonautio. “But the workforce includes part-time and shift workers, lone parents, and newcomers—people whose jobs can be at risk if they need to miss a shift unexpectedly. This leave offers protection that can make all the difference.”
Suokonautio also highlights the practical realities of seeking help: many services in Nova Scotia are only available during business hours. “Smartphones make us feel like everything is open 24/7, but it’s not,” she says. “If you want to call a government office, go to your income assistance worker, your bank, your public housing contact, your doctor—all of that happens Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.”
Paid leave is essential to accommodating these realities. “Most of the services someone may need aren’t available on evenings or weekends,” says Suokonautio. “That’s why paid time off is so important. It allows someone to take care of what they need to without sacrificing income.”
Lynn Hartley, Director of the Labour Standards Division at the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, echoes Suokonautio. “Increasing paid leave from three to five days reflects a growing understanding of the time required for individuals to address safety, legal and personal issues related to domestic violence,” says Hartley. “It also considers the cost to employers. While eligible employees are entitled to five paid days of domestic violence leave under the Labour Standards Code, employers can offer their employees more paid leave than required by the legislation.”
Working in partnership with the Status of Women Office, the department recently updated its materials to support awareness and compliance. “We’ve developed new resources on domestic violence and the workplace, which are available online,” says Hartley. “We’re also engaging on social media and conducting a survey to help assess and improve awareness of the leave.”
Suokonautio urges employers to approach the topic of intimate partner and gender-based violence with care. “Managers and staff might not necessarily be experts in intimate partner violence,” she says. “If you’re going to have a conversation with an employee, you need to be 100% competent to have that conversation. If you can humbly admit that you don’t have the skills, the competency, or the training, then you need to rely on folks like the YWCA.”
Through its December 6th Fund, the YWCA offers round-the-clock support, safety planning, and advice to individuals and employers. To learn more about gender-based violence supports available through the YWCA, visit ywcahalifax.com/programs/gender-based-violence-supports.
Suokonautio emphasizes that well-meaning advice can actually increase risk if proper planning isn’t in place. “For example, we know that the risk of mortality is at its highest when a victim is attempting to leave the relationship,” she says. “So, if an employer encourages an employee to leave—as well-intentioned as that may be—without real, thorough safety planning, you may inadvertently cause harm.”
Minister Martin echoes the importance of careful communication and cultural change in the workplace. “The more employers communicate about available resources, the more they can connect people to supports and services,” she says. “Even if someone doesn’t need those services right now, if they trust their employer and feel understood, they’ll feel more comfortable asking for help if they ever need to.”
The new leave also helps address systemic inequities. Women, who make up over half of the workforce in Nova Scotia, are disproportionately affected by domestic violence and carry much of the caregiving burden. “Women are economic drivers when we’re working at our full potential,” says Martin. “Ending the epidemic of intimate partner and gender-based violence not only saves lives—it benefits everyone in Nova Scotia.”
Ultimately, the Province sees this policy change as one piece of a wider strategy. “This connects to our all-of-government approach,” says Martin. “Every department has a role to play, and we’re working together—alongside community organizations and service providers—to make sure Nova Scotians get the support they need.”
Employers looking to learn more about the leave, how to support staff safely, or how to build a more inclusive workplace can access resources at women.novascotia.ca/domestic-violence-resource-centre/domestic-violence-and-workplace.
As Suokonautio puts it, “The leave is not a silver bullet, but there is no silver bullet. Addressing intimate partner violence requires a whole-of-society response. This is one more step in the right direction.”
To complete the province’s anonymous survey on domestic violence leave visit: surveys.novascotia.ca/DVLAwareness
